Forest Characteristics, Ecology & Management · Forests can help mitigate the effects of climate...

Forest Characteristics, Ecology & Management

Forest Area, Land Cover & Land Use

▪ Over the last 10 years, forest area in Wisconsin appears to be stabilizing, with annual

acreages of afforestation and deforestation being nearly equal.

▪ Urbanization and other land use changes will potentially lead to a loss of forest land.

▪ Parcelization and fragmentation decrease the quality and scale of forested habitats

and may make management goals more difficult to achieve.

Wisconsin State Forest Action Plan - Assessment

Wisconsin Landcover

Forest Composition

▪ Changes in the structure and function of Wisconsin’s forested communities can affect wildlife populations. Both young forests and old forests provide important habitat benefits.

▪ Management practices, including avoidance measures and habitat conservation plans, can benefit wildlife populations and maintain and enhance ecological diversity.

▪ Forest pests can alter wildlife habitat structure and composition.

▪ Forest fragmentation reduces habitat for some interior forest species, limits connectivity, and may limit daily and seasonal movement patterns and dispersal.

▪ As mesophication occurs across disturbance dependent forests, there will be a shift

to more shade tolerant species.

▪ Over the last 50 years, forests have been aging with a ‘bubble’ of acreage in the

middle age classes (60-100 years), with less acreage in younger and older forests.

▪ Paper birch, red maple, and red pine, are experiencing rapid changes in numbers

and volume which may impact wildlife habitat and the forest products industry as

they become more or less abundant on the landscape.

▪ Pests and diseases may cause large-scale successional changes, especially in

single-species forest types such as lowland black ash forests in northern Wisconsin.

▪ Absence of fire and other disturbances in Wisconsin’s forests have contributed to a

decline in the regeneration of important fire-dependent species.

Wildlife

Assessment – WI 2020 Forest Action PlanDraft – Jan 2020

Soil & Water Quality

Forest Productivity

▪ Wisconsin’s forest growth consistently outpaces removals.

▪ Poor oak regeneration signals a need to assess current management and

regeneration tactics to ensure that oak remains a major component of WI’s forests.

▪ Species with increasing rates of harvest but low regeneration (such as red pine)

could diminish on the landscape over time.

▪ Changing economic conditions may affect management strategies.

▪ The commercial importance and viability of certain species and products may

prompt changes in forest management.

▪ Deer browse, along with exotic earthworms, invasive plants and altered

disturbance regimes, can result in inadequate forest regeneration and altered

species compositions.

▪ When applied correctly, guidelines designed to protect soil and water resources are

effective and their continued implementation is critical.

▪ Limiting equipment operations during time of year is challenging to meet management

objectives and ensure a year-round wood availability for loggers.

▪ Minimizing soil disturbances may affect regeneration of species which rely on bare,

open soil, such paper birch and oak.

▪ Although still applied at a high rate, implementation of BMPs related to forest roads

could be increased to reduce impacts to water quality.

Fire Management

Wildfire Risk & Management

▪ Fire occurrence data is not consistently collected and reported in co-op

areas.

▪ Urbanization is increasing in co-op areas; more people may result in

increased fire ignitions in these areas.

▪ Woody debris buildup can result in more intense fire behavior, greater

probability of property loss, and higher suppression costs.

▪ Fire suppression may counter the needs of fire-dependent forests.

▪ Zoning codes lack wildland urban interface standards for landscape

vegetation, building materials and emergency vehicle access.

▪ Suppressing wildland urban interface fires requires greater coordination

between DNR and fire departments to limit damage to property and

natural resources.

▪ Local fire department response to wildfires requires proper training,

equipment, and protective gear.

▪ Inconsistent debris burning restrictions among local authorities is confusing

to the public.

▪ Fire prevention strategies can reduce human-caused wildfires.

▪ Wildfire risk reduction measures taken around homes can reduce structure

loss during wildfires.

▪ Emergency vehicle access infrastructure (e.g., roads, bridges, etc.) can

affect wildfire response.

▪ Opportunities for implementing a unified command structure are rare and

may only happen at a local level. This is challenging when dealing with

multiple resources on a large-scale wildfire.


▪ Absence of fire disturbance in Wisconsin’s forests and woodlands has

contributed to a decline in the regeneration of important fire-dependent

species.

▪ Factors, such as lack of awareness, training availability, suppression

equipment, and liability concerns, all limit the use of prescribed fire by

private landowners.

▪ The cost of contracting prescribed burns and lack of private contractors in

many parts of the state can make prescribed burning difficult for

landowners who are unable to conduct burns themselves.

▪ Many conservation organizations support increasing the use of prescribed

fire in Wisconsin’s forested lands.

▪ Where and when to conduct prescribed fires are inadequately prioritized

and many landowners and organizations experience issues with capacity

(i.e. personnel and equipment), which prevents more acres from being

treated.

▪ Managing for timber harvests may limit prescribed burning in forests

because of the perception that burns can damage the quality of saw

timber.

Wisconsin Wildfire Causes 1989-2018

Prescribed Fire

Percentage of Wildfires by Season


Forest Health

Forest Pests of Greatest Concern


▪ Forest disturbances, in the form of invasive plants, can make

regeneration or reforestation practices more difficult or more likely to

fail.

▪ Many invasive species are difficult to manage once established

▪ Oak wilt has been found in 64 Wisconsin counties but remains

uncommon in northern Wisconsin. Prevention of oak wilt is crucial,

research into management is a continuing need.

▪ Beech scale insects have been detected in 11 Wisconsin counties, but

the species that contributes to beech tree mortality has only been

found in Door County.

▪ Earthworms are a threat to forest regeneration because they disturb

the soil, recently detected Asian jumping worms are even more

destructive to forest soils.

Invasive Plants▪ Forest disturbances, in the form of insects, diseases, and worms, can make

regeneration or reforestation practices more difficult and more likely to fail.

▪ Large outbreaks of insects and diseases can alter stand structure and

function which may lead to forest succession

▪ Emerald Ash Borer has been found in 51 Wisconsin Counties, increased ash

mortality by 89% and significantly impacts urban forests.

▪ The impact of Emerald Ash Borer may be disproportionately large on

lowland black ash forest in northern Wisconsin

▪ Gypsy moth is established in the eastern two-thirds of Wisconsin, where 50

counties are quarantined. Gypsy moth’s greatest impact has been in

aging northern pin oak stands

▪ Heterobasidion Root Disease (HRD) has been found in 28 Wisconsin

counties. HRD kills many of Wisconsin’s conifer species. Prevention is critical

as there is no curative treatment.

Emerald Ash Borer

DistributionGypsy Moth

DistributionHeterobasidion Root

Disease (HRD)

Distribution

Oak Wilt

DistributionBeech Bark Disease

DistributionEarthworms

Distribution


Red = Pest Detected

Japanese knotweed Amur cork tree

Gypsy Moth

Caterpillar feeding on

an oak leaf

Oak trees infected

with oak wilt

Forest Socioeconomics

Forest Industry

▪ The forestry sector relies heavily on paper and pulp manufacturing

▪ Logging firms play a key role in implementing sound forestry practices

while also supplying timber to markets.

▪ Logging firms face uncertainty with operability, markets, labor

availability, and accessing capital

▪ Transportation infrastructure is key to sustaining forest industries

▪ Forest industry employment has stabilized after a decade of decline

▪ Although the number of mills increased between 2008 and 2013, there

are still far fewer than two decades ago

▪ Veneer mills and cabin log mills experienced a particularly sharp

decline of roughly 50 percent between 2008 and 2013

▪ Increased international demand for timber over the last decade is

creating a stronger export market for the forest industry

▪ Challenges exist in entering the logging workforce due to extensive

capital investments and the knowledge required in understanding

financial principles, forest management, contracts, equipment

operation/maintenance, and forest product utilization


Employees in Different Forest Industry Sectors from 2012 to 2016

Forest Certification

▪ Certification indicates that those certified manage resources sustainably

▪ Certification is critical as it keeps the forests competitive in global markets

▪ The amount of certified wood available could attract new forest industry

▪ Markets for certified products are mixed:

▪ If demand for certified wood is low, certification could be dropped because the costs outweigh the benefits

▪ If demand for certified wood is high, new mills and landowners could become certified to add value to their products

Forest Products

▪ Hardwoods and softwoods have increasing growing-stock volume

▪ Demand for hardwood and softwood pulpwood fluctuates but the

overall trend is increasing

▪ Many species have experienced large increases in sawtimber volume

allowing the industry to capitalize on species with high demand

▪ Several species of trees and size classes of trees are underutilized

▪ Changing forest composition statewide may require industry adaptations

to species and sizes that are more available and economical

▪ Industrial wood energy consumption is very inconsistent, which makes

predicting future consumption trends challenging. If fossil fuels increase in

price, there is likely to be greater demand for wood energy.

▪ Understanding wood energy use is difficult without updated residential

use statistics.

Volume of Sawtimber by YearProportion of Roundwood

Production by Use in 2013


Climate Change

Adaptation and Mitigation

▪ Long-term, climate-related changes in temperature and precipitation will impact the

health and vitality of Wisconsin's forests.

▪ Forest pests and diseases may be more damaging in stressed forests. Some insects

might be able to complete multiple life cycles, allowing existing pests to expand their

range and new pests and pathogens to enter Wisconsin in the future.

▪ Increased frequency and severity of catastrophic events can damage forests, alter

forest soils, decrease forest productivity and change forest composition.

▪ Forest management outcomes may become less predictable and forestry investments

may be riskier.

▪ With an expected decrease in frozen ground duration, forest management

opportunities could be more limited.

▪ It is generally expected that Invasive species will disproportionally benefit from warmer

and wetter conditions because of their naturally more aggressive ability to colonize

and exploit changed or disturbed areas.

▪ Wildfires are expected to increase in both frequency and intensity and therefore burn

more acres. However, more wildfire could be beneficial for some forest types, such as

jack pine and other fire-dependent systems.

▪ White-tailed deer are expected to benefit from warmer winters and reduced snow

depth, which can result in greater impacts on forests across Wisconsin.


Carbon Sequestration

Forest Management


▪ Long-term increases in forest area and growing-stock volume in Wisconsin have

allowed forest carbon storage to increase.

▪ An important factor in maintaining and increasing carbon stocks is maintaining

current forests as forests, and maintaining a balanced distribution of forest types,

ages and size classes. Older forests systems with large trees generally store more

carbon than younger forests and should be well represented on the landscape.

▪ The largest losses of carbon occur when forested land is converted to other land

uses.

▪ There is a growing opportunity for Wisconsin’s forests to sell carbon credits on

voluntary or direct sale markets.

▪ Adaptation provides the best chance for success considering the plausible future

risks.

▪ Forests can help mitigate the effects of climate change by providing soil protection,

diminishing rain impact and runoff, by holding more water in the ground and by

sequestering carbon.

▪ Increased greenhouse gas emissions from active forest management can be offset

from our forests, creating win-win scenarios with multiple benefits.

Source: https://www.wicci.wisc.edu/climate-change.php#6

Image source: https://climate.nasa.gov/effects/

https://www.wicci.wisc.edu/climate-change.php#6

https://climate.nasa.gov/effects/

Private Forest Lands

Private Forest Land Ownership

▪ The growing number of private forest landowners supports a corresponding

need for technical forestry assistance, landowner education and outreach,

and tools that encourage new landowners to engage in sustainable forest

management.

▪ Due to the impact landowners collectively have on the landscape,

management of private forests has become increasingly important.

▪ Understanding the characteristics, attitudes, and behaviors of family forest

owners is critical for developing and delivering effective programs, policies and

services

▪ Engaging effectively with private forest landowners is challenged by the lack

of systems and processes to contact these landowners.


Wisconsin Family Forest Landowners: Reasons for Owning Land

Source: NWOS

Conservation Easements

▪ Wisconsin’s tax law programs continue to be the primary tool to

provide financial assistance to promote sustainable management on

private forest lands in Wisconsin.

▪ Landowner awareness and understanding of assistance programs

continues to be low.

▪ Non-profit conservation organizations conserve a significant amount of

land through easement acquisition and other conservation programs.

▪ Acres owned by large, private industrial landowners continues to

decline.

Acres Protected by DNR Conservation Easements in Wisconsin (2010-2019)

Landowner Incentive Programs


▪ There are 17 Million acres of forestland in

Wisconsin.

▪ Approximately 68% of forest land in

Wisconsin is privately owned.

▪ 426,000 NIPF landowners own ~10 million

acres, 183,000 of which own parcels of

10 acres or more.

▪ Forest industry procures 64% of their

material needs from private lands.Forest Land Ownership

– Tax Law Programs –– Wisconsin Landowner Grant Program –

– Conservation Reserve Program and Conservation Reserve Easement Program –– Environmental Quality Incentive Program –

– Conservation Stewardship Program –– Emergency Watershed Protection Program –– Regional Conservation Partnership Program –

Public Forest Lands

Public Forest Land Ownership

▪ The public understanding of the benefits of forest management is mixed

and with more private landowners living within and adjacent to public lands

there are conflicting views on forest management.

▪ Public forests are significant contributors to local and statewide forest

products and recreational economies.


Public Forest Land Ownership Type

Recreation

▪ The public debate about the role of public forests is often conflicting and

involves diverse and engaged stakeholders.

▪ Demand for motorized forest-based recreation is increasing, particularly for

ATV/UTV access and must be balanced with water quality, invasives

management and social and economic impacts.

Public Forest Land Characteristics

▪ On public lands, forests succession is occurring, and cover types

are changing.

▪ Large blocks of public ownership allow for landscape level

planning and management, and therefore, the ability to

implement sustainable harvest levels to meet management

objectives.

▪ Public lands provide a predictable source of raw material to forest

products economies.


Above: Forest type group by area on public lands 1983-2017;

Below: Timber sales completed

Above: Annual timber sale revenues, in millions of dollars;

Below: Annual cord equivalents harvested, in thousand cord equivalents

Public Forests represent % of all WI Forests

Urban & Community Forestry

Urban Forest Characteristics

▪ Average urban tree canopy is 29%, but varies widely within and

between communities

▪ A national study found a slight decline in Wisconsin’s urban tree

canopy from 2009 to 2014

▪ Half of the municipal trees in the Wisconsin Community Tree Map are

maple or ash

▪ Buckthorn is the third most common tree species in urban and

community areas of the state

▪ Climate change is expected to influence composition and structure of

urban forests in the years to come

▪ Urban trees can be a tool to mitigate climate change and its impacts

▪ Wisconsin’s urban forests provide an incredible amount and array of

benefits

Species composition of municipal trees.

Data source: Wisconsin Community Tree Map (WCTM)

Urban Homeowner Perceptions & Values

▪ Wisconsinites value their trees and the benefits they provide, but they also

have concerns about trees damaging property, causing power outages

and growing too big

▪ Over 80% of residents were likely to prune in the next 5 years; only 1/3 likely

to plant trees

▪ The most trusted sources of information were tree care professionals,

friends or family, and garden center staff

▪ Talking to someone was the most preferred method of receiving

information, followed by the internet

Local Urban & Community Forestry Programs

▪ Wisconsin has been a national leader in developing new career

pathways for the arboriculture profession

▪ There are degree, diploma and certificate offerings at multiple

education institutions throughout the state

▪ There is a lack of Wisconsin specific employment data, market

information and information on real and perceived barriers to entry into

the arboriculture and urban forestry fields

▪ Local program capacity has grown consistently over the past 10 years

▪ Volunteer engagement is down from 2008

▪ The number of communities with inventories is increasing

▪ Total spending by communities on tree care increased 23% from 2008

to 2018

▪ Over 50% of communities indicated they would benefit from a credit

on stormwater permits for retaining or planting trees

▪ Of communities with a species diversity goal, 30% are having trouble

obtaining stock to meet that goal

▪ Less than 5% of municipalities’ solid wood is processed into lumber, sold

as round wood or made into furniture

No. of WI communities with urban forestry advocacy groups, tree ordinances, tree management plans, and professional staff.

Data source: USFS Community Assistance Reporting System.

Workforce Development & Career Pathways


Forest Characteristics, Ecology & Management · Forests can help mitigate the effects of climate...

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